Saturday, January 2, 2010

Ron Paul Wants Me To Have a Day Off From Thinking Hard

On Monday, the gift-that-keeps-on-giving known as Congressman Ron Paul had a fierce debate with the Ben “Captain Monotone” Stein over what causes terrorism. Predictably, Ron Paul stuck to the line that they are only terrorists because we are “occupiers.”

To Mr. Paul, the terrorists are not pan-Islamic theocrats but violent nationalists fighting for liberation.

Unfortunately, this line of thinking has become far too common these days, with proponents repeatedly citing Bin Laden’s grievances against U.S. foreign policy as the true source.

But let’s take a look at what else Bin Laden has to say on the subject with some help from Raymond Ibrahim, shall we?

“Our talks with the infidel West and our conflict with them ultimately revolve around one issue — one that demands our total support, with power and determination, with one voice — and it is: Does Islam, or does it not, force people by the power of the sword to submit to its authority corporeally if not spiritually?”

Bin Laden then answers his own question:

“Yes. There are only three choices in Islam: [1] either willing submission [conversion]; [2] or payment of the jizya, through physical, though not spiritual, submission to the authority of Islam; [3] or the sword — for it is not right to let him [an infidel] live. The matter is summed up for every person alive: Either submit, or live under the suzerainty of Islam, or die.”

Paul’s argument collapses under the simplest cross-examination. If he’s right, then why are Islamic extremists trying to overthrow governments perceived as not “Islamic” enough?

Why does Al-Qaeda kill eight times as many Muslims as non-Muslims? What do bombings in Bali, Istanbul, Casablanca, or any other Muslim city have to do with Israeli and American “occupation?”